Rotatable mailbox mounting assembly

ABSTRACT

A rotatable mailbox mounting assembly which when permanently mounted on an existing round or square support post or extended arm, with a mailbox mounted thereupon, will allow the mailbox to be rotated 360 degrees in either direction. The mailbox is held in a firm mail receiving position by a ball detent mechanism. The mechanism consists of one spring and two balls opposite one another The spring forces the balls into two detent grooves, thus holding the mailbox firmly in a mail receiving position. When a predetermined force is exerted on the front or rear of the mailbox, the spring-loaded balls are forced out of their &#34;home&#34; or detent position, thus allowing the mailbox to be rotated so that the mail can be retrieved from the rear, thereby avoiding the need to walk onto a roadway to retrieve mail. The unit is compact, fitting neatly into the recess in the bottom of all commercially manufactured mailboxes. The materials used and design make it durable and low-maintenance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Statistically, ten percent of all pedestrian fatalities occur while aperson is retrieving their mail from a rural roadside mounted mailbox!

Accordingly, various devices allowing mailboxes to be rotated so as toallow mail to be retrieved from the rear, thus avoiding the need for aperson to walk and stand in harms way to retrieve his mail, have beeninvented and patents issued thereto. Ironically, to my knowledge thereare no rotatable mailbox devices available to the public even thoughthere are several patents issued on such devices. All of the presentdesigns are either too awkward or impractical.

The design I propose is the "state of the art" that neither copies norimpinges on any prior art or present patents.

The materials used in its design will last a lifetime. The ease withwhich the mailbox rotates is far superior to any prior art. This devicecan be easily attached between any existing mailbox and square, round,or flat support post.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The design I propose is such that almost anyone with a minimal amount ofmechanical knowledge can easily attach my rotatable mailbox mountingassembly between any existing mailbox and its support post whether it besquare, round, flat or extended arm. It was my intention to design thisdevice to last a lifetime, no maintenance is required. The componentsare virtually indestructable. Unlike prior patents, the close designtolerances of the moving parts prevents road dust, dirt and otherforeign matter from entering the moving parts, thus preventing wear,jamming and sticking especially in the winter from freezing rain and icebuild up. Unlike some prior designs, my invention allows the mailbox tobe rotated in either direction a full 360 degrees. This is a veryimportant feature in that a person can retrieve his mail from eitherside or from the rear.

Another important factor to be considered is the fact that the totalheight of my device is little more than one inch.

The complete assembly is protected from the elements by the one inchrecess built in to the bottom of all commercially manufacturedmailboxes, which also shields the device from view if one is concernedabout esthetics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment in a mailreceiving position. Also the mounting brackets are positioned to bemounted to a small round support post, or a small square post; generallyfrom one and a half inch to three inches in diameter.

FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1 except the mounting brackets are turned 180degrees to allow for mounting of said device to a larger round supportpost or a larger square support post; generally from three inches tofour and a half inches in diameter.

In both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the mounting brackets will attach to a roundor square support post from one and a half inch to four and a half inchin diameter.

FIG. 3 is basically the same as FIGS. 1 and 2. It shows how the mountingbrackets can be positioned to allow said device to be mounted upon anyflat surface or on an extended arm.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment showing thegroove the two detent balls ride when rotating mailbox. This groove isnecessary for facilitating the ease in turning mailbox.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment showing thetwo detents the balls engage to hold the mailbox in its mail receivingposition.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a mailbox 14 and the embodiment of my invention.(hereinafter referred to as device) The aluminum mounting plate 8attaches to mailbox 14 by means of bolts or screws.

Delrin bearing 17 is permanently secured to aluminum mounting plate 8 bymeans of four zinc plated rivets 13. Aluminum collar 16 of the firstembodiment is the portion of device which is attached to a mounting postby means of four aluminum brackets 11.

Spring 10 goes through hole of Debrin bearing 17 which said spring 17forces two balls 9 into detents 1 of aluminum collar 16. Said detentsare opposite one another on said aluminum collar. When said balls arepositioned in the two detents, the mailbox is in a fixed or firm mailreceiving position. Mylar spacer 7 is placed between rotating surface ofaluminum mounting plate 8 and aluminum collar 16.

Flanged lip 3 of aluminum collar 16 rides in notch 6 of Delrin bearing17. Said lip is designed to prevent the assembly from separating oncethe device is riveted together by four rivets 13. Groove 2 in aluminumcollar 16 is designed to allow for two balls 9 to ride when mailbox isbeing rotated. The groove facilitates the ease with which the mailboxrotates. Four adjustable mounting brackets 11 are positioned so as toallow for mounting device on any round or square support post from oneand a half inch to three inches in diameter.

Said adjustable mounting brackets 11 are secured to aluminum collar 16by means of four washer head bolts 12. Said mounting brackets 11 aredesigned with an elongated mounting hole which allows for the variationin support post sizes. FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1 except that itillustrates how adjustable mounting brackets 11 can be turned one halfturn thereby allowing device to be mounted on any round or squaresupport post from 3 inches to four and a half inches in diameter. Saidmounting brackets 11 are designed with an elongated mounting hole whichallows for the variation in support post sizes. FIG. 3 is the same asFIGS. 1 and 2 except that it illustrates how adjustable mountingbrackets 11 can be secured to aluminum collar 16 by means of four screws12 into four holes 4 drilled into outer circumferences of aluminumcollar 16 thereby allowing for the mounting of device on a flat surfacesuch as an extended horizontal mounting arm or the like.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment showingdevice as assembled. Mailbox 14 mounted upon aluminum plate 8. Mylarspacer 7 between aluminum collar 16 and aluminum mounting plate 8.Flange lip 3 of aluminum collar 16 which rides in notch 6 of Delrinbearing 17 prevents unit from separating after device is rivetedtogether by four rivets 13.

Groove 2 as detailed in FIG. 1 allows the two balls 9 to ride smoothlywith reduced friction when mailbox is being rotated thus reducing forceneeded to rotate mailbox. Four adjustable mounting brackets 11 securedto aluminum collar 16 by means of four washer head bolts 12. Four zincplated rivets 13 permanently secure Delrin bearing 17 to aluminummounting plate 8.

Spring 10 forces the two balls 9 into detents opposite one anotherthereby securing mailbox in "home" or mail receiving position.

FIG. 5 is essentially the same as FIG. 4 shown here are two balls 9positioned into two detents 1 opposite one another, holding mailbox 14in "home" or mail receiving position.

I claim:
 1. A rotatable mounting platform approximately one and onequarter inches in height which when secured to a base of a mailboxallows the mailbox to be rotated in either direction a full 360 degrees,the rotatable mounting platform comprising,a top aluminum plate fourinches wide, seven inches long and three sixteenth inch thick, acylindrical Delrin bearing three quarters inch thick and two inches indiameter secured to the center of the top plate, the bearing having athree eighths inch hole through its center, an aluminum collarencircling the Delrin bearing which is affixed to the support post byadjustable brackets, the collar including two opposing detents, and aspring located within the hole in the bearing and biasing two sphericalbearings toward the aluminum collar, wherein the spherical bearings areforced into the two opposing detents in the aluminum collar by thespring thereby securing the mailbox in a mail receiving position.
 2. Arotatable mounting platform which when secured to a base of a mailboxand to a top of an existing support post will allow the mailbox to berotated in either direction a full 360 degrees, the rotatable mountingplatform comprising,a top plate, a cylindrical bearing secured to thecenter of the top plate, the bearing having a hole extendingtransversely through it, a collar encircling the bearing, the collaraffixed to the support post by adjustable brackets, and the collarhaving two opposing detents therein, and a spring located in the holeand biasing two spherical bearings toward the collar, wherein thespherical bearings are forced into the two opposing detents in thecollar by the spring, thereby securing the mailbox in a mail receivingposition.
 3. The rotatable mounting platform of claim 2 wherein thecollar has a groove defined on its inner surface in which the sphericalbearings travel during rotation of the platform.
 4. The rotatablemounting platform of claim 2 wherein the cylindrical bearing is made ofDelrin.
 5. The rotatable mounting platform of claim 2 wherein the plateand collar are made of aluminum.